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Sighting at Dusk (illustration)
FILE No.161Unsolved

Sighting at Dusk

Difficulty ★☆☆about 5 minTheft CaseSeasonsTestimony
Tokyo in June. A witness says, "At 4:30 p.m., on a dark road after sunset, I saw his face."

Case Record

In Tokyo in June, around 4:30 p.m., a purse-snatching took place. The witness says, "It was a road already dark after sunset, but I saw the culprit's face clearly."

(In Tokyo in June, sunset is around 7 p.m.)

Your question

What can be said for certain about this testimony?

Case Files

Diagram

June in Tokyo: time of the incident and sunset12:0014:0016:0018:0020:0022:00Incident: 4:30 p.m.Sunset: about 7 p.m.Witness: "The sun had already set and the road was dark, but Iclearly saw the culprit's face."
Diagram

Hints

If you get stuck, open the hints one at a time, in order.

Open hint 1

About what time is sunset in June?

Open hint 2

Is 4:30 p.m. light or dark?

Open hint 3

Compare the testimony with the facts.

Solve It

Your question

What can be said for certain about this testimony?

Choose the answer closest to the truth.

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The Truth

The testimony's "dark after sunset" does not match the facts

The answer is "The testimony's 'dark after sunset' does not match the facts."

In Tokyo in June it stays light until around 7 p.m., and the sun has not set at 4:30 p.m. On this point, the testimony and the facts do not match.

There is no basis for deciding the whole testimony is a lie or that the witness is an accomplice. But the part about seeing the face clearly should also be treated with care.

Where testimony and facts disagree12:0014:0016:0018:0020:0022:00Incident: 4:30 p.m.Sunset: about 7 p.m.Still daylightTestimonyFactThe sun had set; it was darkAt 4:30 p.m. the sun has not setTestimony and fact disagree; that does not mean everything the witnesssaid is false.
Diagram of the solution

Key Points

  • The relation between the season and sunset
  • Compare testimony with objective facts
  • Do not doubt all of it, and do not believe all of it

Why people get fooled

Because you are pulled along by the general image that "evening is dark."

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